Band saw mill



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

BAND SAW MILL.

Patented June so, 1885 a w w mm M fl E V m PER PE zRS, Fnmvum m Wnhingtom av c.

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

BAND SAW MILL.

Patented June 30, 1885.

INVENTOR.

I ,1 I i, I I m RNEY.

PER

(No Model. 3 Sheets-Sheet 3. J. COOK.

BAND SAW MILL.

No. 321,194. Patented June 30, 1885.

/fi" WITNESSES.

N. PETERS PholoJikhagmphzn wmin mn, n c.

UNITED STATES PATENT FFICE.

JOSEPH COOK, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO SINKER, DAVIS 85 COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

BAN D-SAW MILL.

ESPECIPICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 321,194, dated June 30, 1885.

Application filed March 17, 1885.. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known thatl, Josnrrr COOK, of the city of Indianapolis, county of Marion, and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Band-Saw Mills,

of which the following is a specification.

My said invention relates to that class of sawmills known as band-saw mills, especially to those of the larger size used in sawing 1o logs; and it consists in general improvements on the mill, and especially of certain improve ments whereby two saws can be employed in the same mill in line with each other, and the mill thus adapted to cut in both directions,

1 thus producing a piece of sawed lumber at each travel of the carriage when moving backward as well as when moving forward. It further consists in an improved feed-works especially applicable to this construction of mill, whereby the carriage is fed backward and forward at an adjustable and uniform speed, all as will be hereinafter more particularly described.

Referring to the accompanying drawings,

which are made a part hereof, and on which similar letters of reference indicate similar parts, Figure 1 is a top or plan view of a sawmill embodying my said invention; Fig. 2, a side elevation of the same, as seen from the 0 dotted line 2 2 in Figs. 1 and 3; Fig. 3, a transverse vertical sectional view looking toward the right from the dotted line 3 3 in Figs. 1 and 2; Fig. l, a horizontal sectional view through the supports for the upper band- 3 5 wheels, looking downwardly from the dotted line 4 4 in Fig. 3; Fig. 5, a similar view looking upwardly from the dotted line 5 5; Fig. 6, a detail sectional View looking toward the left from the dotted line 6 6 in Fig. 1, and Fig. 7

0 a detail sectional view looking toward the left from the dotted line 7 7 in Fig. 3.

In said drawings, the portions marked A represent the foundation and frame-work of the mill; B, the main mandrel or saw-shaft;

O, the pillar which supports the upper bandwheels; 0 O wheel-housings pivoted to the pillar carrying the upper band-wheel shafts; D D the saws; E, the main shaft of the feedworks, F F, vertical shafts forming part of the feed-works, and G the log-carriage.

The foundation and framework A is of suitable construction to support the various parts of the mill. Mounted thereon is aheavy projecting base, A, for the pillar which supports the upper band-wheels. It also has pivoted thereto, under the outer or projecting end of the base, a swinging support, A secured thereto by pivot aflwhich engages,when raised up,with-said outer end of the base A, and steadies the same in position when in use, 6 being secured to said outer end by latch aor other suitable device. By this means, while it is necessary that one side of the base should be open to permit the saws to be removed and replaced, the base is provided'with the sup- 6 5 port which is necessary to the steady and effective operation of the mill.

The main shaft or mandrel B rests in suitable bearings on the frame-work and carries band-wheels B and 13 which drive the saws D 0 and D respectively, and also carries frictionwheels which operate the feed mechanism. The outer end of this mandrel is supported and steadied in position by a downwardly-projecting stud, A, having a suitable bearing upon its lower end, which is secured to the base A of the pillar. This construction is necessary, as there must be an open way through which the saws can pass to the bandwheels, and it is also necessary that there be s some provision for steadying the other end of the shaft, on account of the distance it extends beyond its main bearing to accommodate the two band-wheels used in my double mill.

The pillar O is mounted on the base A of the frame-work, and extends up a sufficient distance tp carry the supportsfor the two shafts of the upper band-wheels, D D". The supports or wheel-housings O C? are secured by pivots c c to slides O G, which are secured and adapted to be moved vertically in ways in said pillar. Said slidesare given their vertical movement by the operation of the screwshafts c c",which are operated by hand-wheels through miter-gears, as indicated most clearly in Fig. 7, it being necessary to provide for an adjustment which will throw the saw into line with thevwork should it after being set up be inclined to run. The slight rocking motion is provided for, for these slides, by the screws 10o 0 c, which press against small slides running in dovetail grooves in the sides of the pillar O, as shown most plainly in Fig. 5. Theseslides are prevented from moving when adjusted to the proper position by the side blocks, 0 c, which are adapted to be adjusted to rest tightly against the faces of said slides, and there held by set-screws, as also clearly indicated in Fig. 5. The lower bearings of the screw-rods c 0* are supported by weighted levers C O' carried upon fulcrums in the framework, as shown most plainly in Fig. 3, and thus a constant and equal force or tension is provided for the saws after they are adjusted to position. The amount of tension can be varied by adjusting the weight on the levers, as will be'readily understood.

The wheel-housings (J O are also rendered adjustable, so that the upper bandwheels may be thrown into such position as to insure the proper running of the saws thereon. This adjustment is effected by means of screws 0 passing through the lower ends of said wheelhousings and bearing against the slides upon which they are pivoted. As a guard against the saws being suddenly thrown off the wheels by accident, I arrange upon abracket secured to the pillar a cross-bar, G having rollers formed of hard wood mounted upon studshafts in its ends, said rollers coming around in front of the teeth of the saws, as shown in Fig. 1. As aguide for the saws upon the cutting-side of the machine, I provide the usual adjustable guide 0 the operation of which will be readily understood from the drawings.

As before indicated, it is necessary that there should be provided for this mill on account of its adaptability to cut in both directions a pcculiar feed mechanism, which, while adjustable to provide for the various rates of speed at which it is desired that the log carriage shall travel, shall be so arranged as to travel uniformly in both directions, whatever may be the rate of speed. I have,therefore,designed a feed-works, which I will nowproceed to describe. Upon the mandrel B I placetwo friction-wheels, b b, which are adjustable toward or from each other, but are prevented from revolving independently of the mandrel by a spline, as is common. The hubs of these friction-wheels are grooved and trunnioned rings inserted therein, and toothed bars are connected thereto which extend toward each other. Between these toothed bars I place a spurpinion upon a shaft, which preferably extends up and terminates in a hand-wheel. By this arrangen1ent,in turning the hand-wheel in one direction, the friction-wheels are drawn toward each other,and by turning it in the other direction they are forced away from each other, but at all times are kept in the same relative position to the pinion,which is located opposite the center of the friction-plate E, against which said wheels operate, thereby insuring a uniform rate of speed of the carriage in each direction. At right angles with the mandrel I arrange a shaft,-E, having rocking bearings at both ends and a universal joint and sliding bearing in the center. .Upon the end of said shaft next the friction-wheels I arrangea friction-plate, E, and upon the other end a bevel-pinion, E, which engages with a bevelwheel upon one of the shafts carrying the wheels which operate directly upon the feed bar of the log-carriage. Connected to the central sliding bearing, e,is a connecting-rod, E", which is connected to an arm on the rockshaft E. Upon the other end of this rockshaft is a hand-lever, The operator by moving this hand-lever of course pushes the center of the shaft in one or the other direction, throwing one or the other of the edges of the friction-plate E against the corresponding friction-wheel b upon the mandrel, and thus driving the feed-worksin one or the other direction, and providing a means for driving itin either direction at will. As the movement of the shaft is very slight the universal joint near the central bearing, 0, permits t movement without affecting the operation of the mechanism.

Beneath the log-carriage at the end of the shaft E of the feed-works are arranged two parallel vertical shafts, F F, upon the lower end of one of which is abevel gear-wheel, F, which engages with the bevel-pinion E on the shaft E. These two shafts are connected by spur-pinions f f, by which they are caused to move together, and upon their upper ends they are provided with friction-wheels or other spur-pinions, f f which pass alongside and engage with the feed-bar G upon the log carriage G. Just below said frictionwheels each shaft is provided with a loose collar supported by a tight collar, and to each loose collar is pivoted a link, and these two links come together and are pivoted to a third, which extends down and is pivoted to a weighted lever, F", one end of which is pivoted to an appropriate arm, F, provided for that purpose, and the other end of which extends out and carries the weight f*,said weight being preferably adjustable, in order that the friction-wheels may be brought against the feed-bar with more or less force. As will be readily understood, the operation of these devices isto draw the friction-wheels upon the upper ends of the vertical shafts tightly against said feedbar when the feed mechanism is put in motion to drive the log-carriage in one or the other direction.

The log-carriage G is or maybe an ordinary logcarriage, except that the feed-bar secured to the under side is arranged so that the devices which come in contact therewith may come against the sides instead of the bottom, as has been commonly the case.

I am aware that the upper band-wheels of band-saw mills have heretofore been mounted in adjustable frames on the pillars thereof; but I am not aware that any pillar having a wheel so mounted on each side thereof, or the particular construction herein described and claimed, adapted for use in this particular mill, has ever been made.

Having thus fully described my said invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, in a band-saw mill, of a frame supporting the pillar, amandrel mounted in bearings on said frame and carrying two band-wheels, two short shafts carrying band-wheels mounted in bearings supported by said pillar, and two band-saws mounted on said band-wheels, the teeth of which face outwardly from each other, said saws being in line, and thus adapted to run in the same kerf while in operation.

2. The combination, in a band-saw mill, of the supporting frame-work, a pillar-base, A, thereon, open at one side and extending over the lower band-wheels, and provided at said open side with the swinging support Afihinged to the frame, whereby said open side can be closed and the free end of said pillar-base thus supported when the mill is in operative condition, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

3. The combination,in a band-saw mill, with the frame-work and main shaft or mandrel mounted in bearings on said frame-work and carrying band-wheels on its outer end, of said band-wheels, a pillar-base, A, secured to said framework and extending up and over said band-wheels, a downwardly-projecting stud, A secured to the under side of said pillar-base and provided with a bearing in its lower end for the extreme lower end of said mandrel, and a hinged support, A pivoted under the overhanging end of said base and formed to support said end when in a raised-up position, whereby said base is strengthened and its bearing for said mandrel made more steady and firm while in operation, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, in a double band-saw mill, of the frame-work, the pillar, wheelhousings adjustably secured on said pillar, band-wheels mounted on independent shafts on said housings, means of independently adjusting said housings, the mandrel, bandwheels on said mandrel, and saws facing outwardly and mounted on said band-wheels.

5. The combination, in a double band-saw mill, of the frame-work the pillar provided with ways on each side, independent shafts carrying the upper band-wheels, wheel-housings carrying said shafts, and vertical adjustable slides mounted in the ways in said pillar and carrying said wheel-housings, and means for adjusting the same, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination in a double band-saw mill, of a pillar, O, mounted on abase on the frame-work and provided in its sides with vertical ways, slides O O, mounted and adapted to move in said ways, wheel-housings O 0 pivoted to said slides and carrying independent shafts, band-wheels D and D, mounted on said shafts, the screw-shafts e c", for adjusting said slides, the lower bearings of which are supported by weighted levers O O, and said weighted levers supported on fulcrums on the frame-work, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination, with a double bandsaw mill, of a feed-mechanism consisting of two friction-wheels mounted and longitudinally adjustable upon the shaft or mandrel, rack-bars secured to and extending toward each other from said friction-wheels, a pinion located centrally between said friction-wheels and engaging with both said rack-bars, a frlction-plate adapted to be operated by either of said friction-wheels, and connecting mechanism running from said friction-plate to the log-carriage, and means whereby said frictionplate may be thrown into contact with either of said friction-wheels.

8. The combination, with the saws arranged facing in each direction and their operating mechanism, of the mandrel having two correspondingly adjustable friction wheels bv mounted thereon, the shaft E, having a universal joint, a friction-plate, E, on the end of said shaft next said friction-wheels, a pinion on the other end of said shaft engaging with the carriage-driving gear, and a sliding bearing arranged on said shaft near said universal joint, to which is connected means for moving said jointed shaft from side to side, whereby said friction-plate may be thrown into engagement with either of the friction-wheels 1), substantially as set forth. a

9. The combination, with a log-carriage, of two vertical shafts secured together and provided with wheels or pinions upon their upper ends which extend up alongside the feedbar of said carriage, loose collars upon said shafts, links secured to said collars and to a central link, and a weighted lever secured to said central link, whereby the upper ends of said shafts are drawn toward each other, and the wheels orpinions thereon held into close contact with the feed-bar on the log-carriage.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal at Indianapolis, Indiana, this 11th day of March, A. D. 1885.

' JOSEPH COOK. [L. s.]

In presence of- O. BRADFORD, CHARLES L. THURBER. 

